A30587:914
Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…
Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and evils of them : with cautions that we may not be hurt by them, and endeavours to heal them / by Jeremiah Burroughs.Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and evils of them : with cautions that we may not be hurt by them, and endeavours to heal them / by Jeremiah Burroughes.
London: printed for Robert Dawlman, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Christ comes to make the greatest alteration that ever was or can be in the world, and do we not find that troubles accompany alterations, and above all alterations, alterations in government, and especially such a government as gives no composition, yields no compliance with any thing else? When Christ comes he brings his fan in his hand, he must have his floor throughly purged; he gathers his wheat into his garner, & severs the chaff to be burnt in unquenchable fire. If he comes thus, who shall abide his coming? Mal. 3. 2. Who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a Refiners fire, and Fullers soap, he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, he shall purify the sons of Levi. Certainly there will be much ado when they come to be purified. No men in the world are like to make so much stir when they come to be purified as the Clergy will. Christ comes to cast out Devils, they will foam, fret, vex, rend and tear when they are a casting out. The Gospel likewise divides. The word of the Gospel is a dividing word. Heb. 4. 11. It is quick, powerful, sharper then a two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow. It divides in a mans own heart, and divides between man and man. The light of it divides. The first division we ever read of was of Gods making, Gen. 1. 3, 4. When he said, Let there be light, and God divided the light from the darkness. The doctrine of the Gospel shows the spiritualness of Gods commands, the sinfulness of thoughts, of the first stirrings of sin, Mat. 5. this touches to the quick.
2. Christ comes to make the greatest alteration that ever was or can be in the world, and do we not finde that troubles accompany alterations, and above all alterations, alterations in government, and especially such a government as gives no composition, yeelds no compliance with any thing else? When Christ comes he brings his fanne in his hand, he must have his floore throughly purged; he gathers his wheat into his garner, & severs the chaffe to be burnt in unquenchable fire. If he comes thus, who shall abide his comming?